Wireless devices can include fixed wireless devices or mobile wireless devices. Fixed wireless devices can include base stations and/or fixed location consumer-used devices. Fixed wireless devices typically have essentially unlimited power available since there are typically powered by an AC power source. Mobile wireless devices, however, are typically battery powered, and therefore, must conserve power usage in order to ensure a reasonable time of operation.
New wireless systems and standards, such as 802.16e or WiMAX are deploying devices with multiple antenna devices that can incorporate smart antenna technologies to improve the quality of wireless links between the wireless fixed and/or mobile devices. Multiple antenna device, however, typically dissipate more power than single antenna devices because multiple antenna devices generally require a receiver chain (amplifiers, local oscillators, and frequency mixers) for each of the antennas of the multiple antenna device.
Therefore, a conflict exits between the desire for less power dissipation of mobile units, and the desire to improve communication links of mobile unit through the use of multiple antennas.
It is desirable to have a system and method for reducing power consumption of multiple antenna mobile units of a wireless system while maintaining a desired level of performance.